Difference
by Assassination
Summary: "I noticed." He pushed off the frame and made his way into the room. "Something on your mind? Or was the book that bad?"


**Assassination's note:** This is more of a Post-DMC3 AU than anything. Basically, Vergil decided to go with Dante and whatnot. I got a little spiel at the bottom to kinda/sorta further explain my reasoning.

* * *

Vergil sat down in front of the bedroom window, an elbow propped up on the sill and a book in hand. His eyes ran over the page, skimming the text at a languid pace and raising his other hand to turn the page when he was finished. Humans had such idle fancies about the supernatural. Especially those who write stories of angels falling for humans just to be with them in the purest of loves.

Yes, such idle fancies.

He could never understand Dante's love of the weak, susceptible people, but chose not to question it. Not anymore, at least. Vergil could admit that although he despised most humans, some weren't as bad as others. It made him consider giving some leeway to the human side of him. Some, but not all.

Dante couldn't see that he was converting because Vergil was asked to, after all.

He would do anything for him, honestly. Even if they got into spats and would resort to bringing out their beloved blades, Vergil cared for Dante as much as Dante did him. He wasn't always like this. Hungry for power, willing to sacrifice everything, let the demons destroy the world and sever his ties as a brother to Dante.

Vergil had considered seeing things from Dante's side years ago when their mother was still alive. He loved her, dearly, and it destroyed both of them when the demons stormed the mansion. Eva was the only human Vergil could tolerate, aside from Dante.

Yet, somewhere along the way, something snapped. He sided with the damned, walking away from Dante without a true explanation one night. He knew it would hurt him, tear at the already fragile pieces of his heart and leave Dante with an extreme case of abandonment issues. Vergil knew it would hurt because, despite the mask he threw up constantly, he was hurting too and didn't know how to cope with it.

Perhaps if he had let Eva and Dante show him, Vergil wouldn't have tried to raise Temen-ni-Gru to take their father's legacy that he'd abandoned. He didn't know what had possessed him to invite Dante to the 'party,' but he's glad he had. Secretly. If he hadn't, it was possible that Arkham's betrayal would have cost him dearly and he would have fallen to the depths of madness. Dante, curse him, had convinced Vergil to leave the fool notion and come with him. Desperately telling him, "Come home."

Somewhere nearby, someone coughed.

Vergil blinked out of his trance, the text coming back into focus and realized that he hadn't turned the page for the past fifteen minutes. He turned toward the source of the noise, taking a few seconds to dog-ear the page and shut it once he saw Dante leaning against the door frame. "Forgive me, Dante. I didn't hear you come in."

"I noticed." He pushed off the frame and made his way into the room. "Something on your mind? Or was the book that bad?"

The side of Vergil's mouth twitched up. "Absolutely horrid."

"Damn. I knew you were picky, but not that picky." Dante shook his head and lifted his hands to his sides in a, 'what can you do,' fashion. "Seriously though, are you all right? I've been standing there for the past ten minutes waiting for you to do something or tell me to leave."

"Now why would I do that?" Vergil set the book down and stood, his movements measured and full of grace. "I'm fine, Dante. I was just thinking about something. It's nothing to worry over." He caught the frown marring Dante's usually calm features and he sighed. "If you must know, it was about Temen-ni-Gru."

Dante furrowed his brows and crossed his arms. "Why? That was years ago."

"Why, indeed." Vergil eyes fell halfway shut as he cast a glance out the window, shaking his head a minute later and turning to face Dante. "It's nothing, Dante."

"If you say so, Verge."

* * *

 **Assassination's note 2:** Okay, I know everyone's convinced Vergil had no care in the world for Eva or Dante and only cared for his father and his demonic heritage, but I feel like some people forget 'nature vs nurture.' Vergil loved both his mother and Dante. If he hadn't then why on earth would he have kept the amulet all those years? It's not like he knew it would be the key or had any magical properties at all when he was a child.

That and the third game, the prequel, came after the first two. The first one made it clear Vergil got turned into something else but...what if the prequel had been made first? Would they still have damned Vergil and Dante's familial ties or would Vergil have changed his mind and joined forces with Dante for good? I can't help but think that if it were (mind that I never really got far in the third game because I got stuck on a boss battle...) that things would have turned out differently. I don't recall seeing a reason for Vergil disappearing for one year or whatever, but if it was one year then he could've been pulled back from the edge.

Or that's what I think and feel.


End file.
